Media Design School is focused on growing the pathways and outcomes for Māori students through its focus and work with them, their families, communities, and through collaboration with secondary schools and industry partners.
Our students are welcome to infuse their ancestry and cultural identity into their projects, allowing for a more personal connection, such as Joshua Robinson’s Kaiarataki and Salem McKay’s Tuariki | Beyond Skin. When you join us, we encourage you to do the same!
Our Students
Meet Josephine, a Māori student studying our Bachelor of Media Design course here at Media Design School.
Meet Alyssa, a Māori student studying our Bachelor of Media Design course here at Media Design School.
Meet Josephine, a Māori student studying our Bachelor of Media Design course here at Media Design School.
Meet Alyssa, a Māori student studying our Bachelor of Media Design course here at Media Design School.
Fale Māpura – Your Space
Our Fale Māpura is a dedicated space on our campus designed specifically with Māori and Pacific cultural practices in mind and was blessed by Dr Haare Williams (Ngāi Tūhoe and Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki). All students and their families are welcome to use this special space to talanoa (discuss), interact and learn in a cultural affirming and safe environment.
Adding to the room’s special character is a beautiful Tongan Tapa which proudly hangs on the wall and was gifted to MDS by student Lita Vatuvei and her family.
Māori student projects
Rongoā - Sevarn Tawhiao-Lomas
The knowledge of Māori national plants and their respective healing qualities are hardly talked about or even known to the general population of Aotearoa. With this easily accessible app that’s able to scan native plants and list recipes for healing creams and soups, any Kiwi can learn and start their deep dive into Rongoā Māori (The Māori healing system). The target audience for this project is adventurous New Zealanders aged 20-35 who love going on hikes or nature walks and are open to learning new things.
Tuakiri | Beyond Skin - Salem McKay (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Rongomaiwahine)
Created by Salem McKay, Tuakiri employs the power of Taonga Pūoro as a tool of self realisation. Individuals will be provided with the tools and wisdom to craft their own Taonga to serve as a tool to heal, uplift, and inspire them on their journey towards self-understanding.
“This project strengthened my own understanding of my identity. Using my hands to create Taonga became a soothing and healing process for me, and playing these musical treasures became a regular part of my day. I now use Taonga Pūoro daily to ground myself. They have become integrated into my life, and I appreciate them so much for the powerful tool they are. This is an outcome that I desire for all individuals who interact with Tuakiri | Beyond skin.”
Māuipotiki - Kahu Hurae
A Graduate Diploma of Creative Technologies capstone project, created by Kahu Hurae, Māuipotiki is a 2D motion narrative in a comic book style aiming to deepen the understanding of the stories of Maui, revealing some of the hidden content to have wider appeal to modern, adult audiences.
Breast Cancer Captcha - Bella Rākete (Ngāti Hinemutu, Ngāti Tautahi) & Sam Taunton-Clark
Creative Advertising students Bella and Sam’s award winning campaign, Breast Cancer Captcha. A project worked on with the Breast Cancer Foundation in New Zealand is called It used Google’s reCAPTCHA to help people look for the eight signs of breast cancer. Their idea was extended with the use of Google Lens to detect signs of breast cancer in people’s own photos which could be submitted to a secure app.
Tae Iti, Tae Wawao, Tae Whakaeatia’
On level 4 you’ll find a special mural, created by recent graduate Kahu Hurae, the Media Design School spark infused with mana and taonga. Inspired by the Wayfinding Story, Kahu created this spark in representation of the final confrontation ‘Te Battle of Te Paerangi’.
Tāne was chosen as the one who would bring knowledge to the world, frustrating his jealous rival Whiro, Atua of Death, Illness and Disease, who retaliated with swarms of insects and dangerous mākatu (spells).
The tale teaches us to develop a strong mindset to overcome diff iculty. Whenever we feel fear, anxiety or depression, we should acknowledge that it is something to embrace and overcome. We should not feed or fight against Whiro’s power, but allow it to pass on.
The title of Kahu’s work is a whakatauki (proverb) said by Te Aorere Pewahairangi meaning: ‘It’s the most diff icult thing you’ll do, it’s impossible to achieve, but go ahead and achieve it anyway.’
Tāngata Māori + Pacific Peoples Matawhānui / Vision
Our Tāngata Māori + Pacific Peoples Matawhānui vision, established in 2020, set clear goals for our institution to reach an ideal future state. These goals are set out as three pillars focusing on the cultural connectedness of our institution, its learners, and its staff. It is the guiding document in our journey to an ideal cultural and inclusive state
